On the mountain road, Li Long pedaled his bicycle with difficulty. This was the hardest stretch, overgrown with weeds, steep, and scattered with plenty of stones.
After pedaling up this nearly kilometer-long slope, the gentler incline ahead was much easier. Li Long kept one hand on the handlebars as he rode on and wiped away his sweat with the other.
Cyclists were like drivers in later years: once they got on, they did not want to get off. Even knowing that getting off and pushing through this stretch might save some effort, they still wanted to pedal all the way up.
He pedaled through the mountain pass, and the road ahead twisted and turned. Fortunately, herders and their cattle and sheep had worn this path into shape, making it fairly good for cycling. Avoiding the stinging scorpion grass along the way, Li Long reached the area near Harimu's Winter Camp.
Harimu was outside his Winter Camp. Seeing Li Long approach, he smiled and ran over, followed by Nasen and their family's dog.
"Li Long, you didn't come yesterday," Harimu said. "I was planning to take you to see your Winter Camp."
"We can go now," Li Long said. "Something came up at home yesterday, so I didn't come over. Let's leave this grain in your Winter Camp first."
"Yes, leave it with me for now. Once we've unloaded it, we'll go to your Winter Camp. We can tell them you've brought grain back, too. Once we get to the Summer Pasture, rice and flour will be what they need most."
In his previous life, Li Long had heard that the herders in the mountains usually ate naan with Fucha Tea. If they had anything on the side, it might be butter, cream, or jam-very simple fare. They could not possibly